Re: [stella] Re: 2600 availability

Subject: Re: [stella] Re: 2600 availability
From: Phantom of the Opcodes <urchlay@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 10:40:22 -0500 (EST)
On Mon, 17 Dec 2001 apeboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Phantom of the Opcodes writes: 
> 
> > 
> > There's a used game store 5 miles down the road from me that had 4 of them last
> > week... I wouldn't mind shipping one to you, if you could reimburse me (the
> > units are selling for $25US, I dunno how much shipping from Atlanta to
> > Adelaide, Australia might be) they have a couple of 2600jr's, those would
> > presumably be lighter, and they also have 4-switch units.. do you have an
> > NTSC TV to use it with?
> 
> Thanks for the offer, but not this time. Shipping it would probably cost 
> more than the machine...
> I am surprised that it costs $25. When found locally (PAL ones) they can be 
> had for about AUS$15 (about US$8) 
> 

This is at a really nice retail/used game store, with a 30-day `no questions
asked' return policy, and the units come with 2 joysticks and a set of
paddles..  Still kind of overpriced, but...

> Slightly off topic, but a question to everyone: How easy is it to find VCSs 
> in your area?
> Here in Adelaide they are not very common, but when found they are usually 
> in the AUS$10 - $20 range, and carts AUS$1-$5.
> Finding the machines and the carts is the easy part of the process as when 
> found they usually work, but finding controllers in good condition is much 
> less common. 

...the *only* place I know of in my area (Atlanta) that still has VCS hardware
is that overpriced retail store. I've been to 3 different flea markets and
3 different thrift stores, and haven't seen a single one (though I did find
an Atari Jaguar at one of the flea markets, which is such a rare thing around
here that I thought they were vaporware for years). Some of the people I
talked to at the flea markets didn't even remember what a 2600 is (the adults)
or never even heard of one (the kids). Most of the retail game store employees
are young enough that they never had a 2600...

One of the flea markets did have a booth with about 50 carts, a few of which
I'd never seen before, but they were $5 each.. the retail store has maybe
100-150 2600 carts, which they sell 3 for $10, but you have to pay attentiom
and make sure you don't accidentally grab any of the 7800 or Intellivision
carts that are mixed in (no, they don't have 7800 or Intellivision consoles)

20 years ago, *everyone* I knew who could afford one (or more likely whose
parents could afford one) had a 2600... there are probably still some to be
had at garage sales, but most of them are sitting in an attic somewhere.

What I wish I could find, is a 5200. Years ago I found a stack of 5200 carts
left by the previous tenants of a house I was moving into, but the only 5200
console I've ever owned was broken when I got it and I never could fix it
(and I don't even have it now)

I do know where I could get a 7800, probably really cheap, but it involves
an ex-girlfriend I'd rather not think about now...

As for the 2600 controllers, I haven't seen any other than at the overpriced
retail place, and they want something like $10 if you're not also buying a
console. The one good thing about that place is that if anything doesn't work,
they will exchange/replace/refund until you're happy. I've still got a huge
stash of controllers from years ago (including 2 of my all-time favorite, the
Wico red bat-handled stick with leaf spring contacts!), so I haven't really
looked for them.

Argh. Did I really rant *that* much about this off-topic topic? Sorry 'bout
that...

B.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Archives (includes files) at http://www.biglist.com/lists/stella/archives/
Unsub & more at http://www.biglist.com/lists/stella/


Current Thread